Sushi Money

I am continually amazed at the amount of junk mail, solicitations and credit card offers I receive in the mail.  Imagine how much money is spent on these mailings throughout the nation!  Holy schmoly… the margins on profits must be pretty decent for the companies to keep doing it.  I think my shredder is working overtime these days…   and some of these mailings are down-right deceptive!  Some of my “favorites”:

* The official looking envelope with the fake certified mail stamp on it… the letter states that “Your car warranty is due to expire! (Oh no!)  Just call us and we can help you pay for a new warranty program!”  Hmmm… don’t think so.

* The other official looking envelope with the fake certified mail stamp on it… the letter says “You mortgage rate is too high and you could lose your home!  Just call us and we can give you a better deal…”  Uh…  no thanks.

* Chase… Citibank… Discover… Amex… Cap One…  Shred, shred shred.

* Charities, donation programs, etc…   I receive two or three a week, but in the fall when many people are making charitable gifts for end of year tax purposes?  Then we seem to get a few each day… ugh!  Most of them have my name spelled wrong, and I have an official policy… if you can’t get my name right, then there’s no way I’m going to look at your request!

* Prize notices, fake “you won” brochures from local car dealers, the list goes on and on.  I don’t have the time to look at them all let alone call some dude about a prize I didn’t really win!  We actually received a car key in one of these mailers the other day.  It said “one of the keys mailed out is actually the key to a real car you could win!”  Maybe… looked fake to me, but maybe we passed up a new car.  Oh well. 

* Annual reports and proxy materials…  I usually elect to receive email notices for these.  But I still get the “blue plastic wrapped” reports and proxy voting sheets.  Honestly I don’t read many of them.  Think how much money the companies spend on these materials!  I can read the report on the internet any time I might want, and the email notifications are fine.  Save the money and put it to work! Better yet… how about a dividend bonus for those of us who elect not to receive them?

There’s a lot more junk we get in the mail of course, most of which we just throw away or shred.  I try to minimize the amount of stuff I receive.  When I shop online, or sign up for some service, I always choose not to be contacted… especially by regular mail, or by phone… and only sometimes with email.  I don’t know if that works very well… if it does I shudder to think how much stuff I’d get in the mailbox.   We filter an amazing amount of data and information each day wherever it comes from.  Between home, work and the internet I think we’re running out of time!  So choices have to be made… I think that’s why I’m making decisions a little quicker these days and not exploring opportunities that don’t interest me.  It’s too easy to fall behind on personal or professional goals, house or yard work, business interests and even school.   Oh… and telemarketing calls?  Don’t you love the ones that call at about 8:00 pm on friday night?  Do they actually think I want to talk to them at that time!?    I had a call from some vacation resort office the other week… my mistake, two years earlier I filled out a card at a sport show to receive a catalog or something.  They’re still calling.  The one who called a few weeks ago, after I said I’m not interested?  The girl rudely replied, “Then don’t fill out cards!” and hung up.  Well, I used an extra few minutes the next week to call their main office… spoke with a senior rep who was very disappointed in their marketing department and apologized profusely.    Life goes on… and we have to make the choices that we believe provides the most benefit to our lives and goals.  But I saw a quote I really like that helps frame the dynamics of each day as we make those choices:

“Take as a gift whatever the day brings forth.”

                                                                              Horace

Within each day there are gifts… sometimes it’s a simple lesson we learn.  I doubt it’s coming in the mailbox however.

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